In recent years, read and write heads of magnetic hard disk drives have become progressively smaller, data tracks on the magnetic disks of hard disk drives have become progressively narrower, and as a result, the areal density of stored data has increased. Advanced media designs such as exchange coupled composite (ECC) media and segmented media have been proposed by micro-magnetic modeling to further improve the writeability of high anisotropy Co grains. As track widths become narrower in high-areal density PMR recording, write head field strength and gradient start degrading, affecting media writeability. In order to sustain high areal density recording in PMR granular media, media writeability needs to be optimized for a narrow track head while maintaining low media noise and good thermal stability. One difficulty encountered is that, as the track head narrows, it is difficult to achieve thermal stability, media writeability, and low media noise in the same design. This is particularly true since design features that promote one of these characteristics may adversely affect another.